Mere of Dead Men
Travelers on the High Road, which skirts the mere to the east, must resist being lured into this cold and desolate swamp by bobbing will-o’-wisps. Countless adventurers have perished in the mere, drawn by tales of ruined castles half-sunk in the mire.
Geography
The Mere was located along the Sword Coast on the Sea of Swords between Neverwinter and Waterdeep. The High Road skirted its eastern edges on its way through the foothills of the Sword Mountains to the east. The nearest significant settlement was Leilon to the north.
The Mere of Dead Men is a cold saltwater swamp roughly 100 miles long by 30 miles wide along the shore. It's a desolate place full of monsters and few members of the civilized races. The swamp constnantly grows over time, swallowing homes and property located close to its bounders. It is believed that the eastern boundary of the Mere is magically bound to the High Road (perhaps via a wish spell from the Mere's creator), since attempts to reroute the road have been futile and only caused the expansion of the swamp.
The Mere itself is full of trees, vines, quicksand, and hidden islands, and it is generally covered in fog, making visibility very poor. The bones of fallen creatures are clearly visible throughout the Mere. The water is deep enough that it can be navigated on a flat-bottomed boat, however the dark water and hidden obstructions made that choice dangerous at best.
Inside the Mere are the flooded ruins of a number of castles and settlements. Many of these castles have had strange wards that would either strengthen certain magic or negate it.
Localized Phenomena
Will-o'-wisps are a reqular sight in the Mere and easily seen from The High Road by travelers passing thru the region. They are know to lure many a man to their unsuspecting demise.
A variety of creatures are found in the Mere, including bullywugs and lizardfolk; sivs; aballins, behirs, flying fangs, giant frogs and giant toads, gibbering mouthers, giant leeches, hydras, meazels, monitor lizards, nyths, scrags, shambling mounds, snakes. Doppelgangers dwell in some of the ruined settlements, posing as humans in order to lure unsuspecting travelers to their doom. Trolls have also been known to make the Mere their home.
After the Time of Troubles and the death of Myrkul (1358 DR), the taint of the dead god infected the remains of the dead in the Mere, causing them to turn into undead ghouls, skeletons, and zombies that attacked travelers on sight.
Legends speak of liches, a penanggalan, sea zombies, darktentacles, yuan-ti slavers, and other monsters, but their presence has never been confirmed.
History
The Mere was created in 615 DR. After the armies of Phalorm were overrun by the Horde of the Wastes in 614 DR, the few that had rallied made their stand at Iniarv's Tower, a tower that had once belonged to Iniarv, the former Mage Royal of Uthtower. Unbeknownst to all, Iniarv had retreated into the tower's crypts to become a lich. He was awakened by the orcs and enraged by the commotion. King Uth VII begged him for help, calling upon Iniarv's ancient alliance with Uthtower. Iniarv acquiesced, calling on the ocean to flood the entire area, killing all goblinoids and humanoids alike. When the waters receded, all that was left was a saltwater swamp. The land was never permanently resettled, although there were a few attempts that were thwarted by the wetlands and strange monsters released by Iniarv.
Type
Wetland / Swamp
Location under
